Electronic link: A rescue worker holds a video camera before inserting it to the probe that travelled 700 meters under the surface to broadcast the trapped men and their conditions above ground
The 33 Chilean men trapped in a copper mine have been shown singing and shouting 'long live the miners' in a video taken in their enclosure half a mile underground.
The first footage of the trapped miners shows them stripped to the waist and appearing slim but healthy and in good spirits - despite having been told they may not be rescued until Christmas.
The workers made the video with a camera sent down through a shaft drilled to their emergency shelter deep in the San Jose mine in the north of the country.
* Miners shout 'long live Chile' as they appear healthy in first video
* Families of the trapped miners to sue the site's owner for negligence
* Games, jelly and DVDs of Maradona sent down to keep morale high
Trapped: The miners gave a tour of the shelter where they have taken refuge since August 5, revealing how they play games to keep themselves entertained
In good spirits: A still from the video of the 33 trapped miners shows one of the men waving at the camera, seemingly physically healthy and mentally strong
Rescue mission: Workers at the site are sending down food and entertainment through the pipe in order to keep the miners's morale high
The 33 Chilean men trapped in a copper mine have been shown singing and shouting 'long live the miners' in a video taken in their enclosure half a mile underground.
The first footage of the trapped miners shows them stripped to the waist and appearing slim but healthy and in good spirits - despite having been told they may not be rescued until Christmas.
The workers made the video with a camera sent down through a shaft drilled to their emergency shelter deep in the San Jose mine in the north of the country.
The grainy night-vision images shows some of the men speaking individually into the camera.
One man gives a guided tour, showing where the men meet and pray daily. He points out the 'little cup to brush our teeth.'
At one point, the miners are seen arm-in-arm, singing Chile's national anthem and yelling 'Long live Chile, and long live the miners.'
One man proudly displays the way they have organised the living room-sized shelter where they have taken refuge.
He also showed off areas outside the shelter where they can walk around.
As the camera shows a table with dominoes laid out, another miner says: 'This is where we entertain ourselves, where we play cards. We meet here every day. We plan, we have assemblies here every day so that all the decisions we make are based on the thoughts of all 33.'
The camera was sent down through a bore-hole used for communications.
Another small hole which reaches the men's shelter is used for lowering food, and a third provides ventilation.
The release of the footage comes as the family members of those trapped announced they planned to sue the site's owner for negligence.
They claim San Esteban repeatedly ignored concerns about safety and was fined for breaching regulations.
They also claim the company has done nothing to help their staff. One family has lodged a claim and a lawyers representing 24 of the trapped miners said would be submitting a case 'imminently.'
The company has warned that it is considering filing for bankruptcy and may not be able to pay salaries owed to the miners when they finally emerge.
The men are to be given antidepressants after being told they may not be rescued until Christmas.
Despite an earlier decision not to tell them the news in case it would damage their morale and mental well-being, Chilean health minister Jaime Manalich broke the news via radio link.
He told them they would not be out before public holidays on September 18 but said rescue teams would do their best to free them before Christmas.
He also said authorities would prescribe antidepressants in case the estimated three-month rescue effort takes its toll on their mental wellbeing.
'The euphoria of the initial contact on Sunday will likely give way to a period of depression and anguish,' Manalich said.
'We are preparing drugs for that.'
To keep their minds occupied, the miners will be given playing cards, video games and books, to be sent down boreholes.
It was also revealed today the miners may get videos of Maradona and other soccer greats to beat boredom.
Engineers plan to send miniature projectors and entertainment equipment to help them cope with the agonizing wait ahead.
Farmer Wilson Avalos is selecting soccer videos for two of his nephews who are trapped down the mine.
'We will send them videos of Diego Armando Maradona, Ronaldinho and Pele, because they are huge soccer fans,' Avalos said. 'I'm sure that will really help them keep their spirits up.'
The government is bringing in NASA experts for tips on how to help the miners, who have exchanged written notes with their relatives on the surface, cope with lengthy confinement.
Miners have been sent apple pure and sweet jelly after they survived two weeks on mouthfuls of tinned tuna, milk and cookies every 48 hours.
One of the first orders given to them was to dig a toilet. Mr Manalich said a clean area and a dirty area would be essential if they were to survive the next few months.
'We have to make sure the miners are physically and psychologically fit,' he said. 'If they lose their mental balance, it could create panic and violence down there, and that would be a huge catastrophe.
His message came as the survivors were warned not to put on weight amid fears they might get too fat to fit through the escape shaft.
Incredibly, the miners survived the 17 days before they were located by each eating two spoons of tuna, a few sips of milk and half a biscuit every 48 hours.
But with those starvation rations now over there are fears that the group will put on weight due a lack of exercise in the very confined space, Mr Manalich said.
It has also emerged yesterday that the owners of the mine failed to install an emergency ladder which would have allowed the men to escape.
Inspectors ordered bosses to build the ladder following a similar cave-in two years ago in which a man died.
But when the miners tried to reach the surface through a ventilation shaft marked on a map as an escape route, they discovered the ladder was not in place.
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